WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:06.560 Personal notice, changes my stock and trade. If the job's too tough for you to handle, 00:06.560 --> 00:33.760 you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Standard Oil Company of California, 00:33.760 --> 00:39.040 on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West, 00:39.040 --> 00:53.000 invite you to Let George Do It! Opportunity knocks twice, another adventure of George Valentine. 00:53.000 --> 01:06.560 No, no, no, I want to speak to Mr. Valentine. I told you this is Claire Brooks, 01:06.560 --> 01:10.400 his assistant. It's terribly important. I don't know what to do. If I could only... 01:10.400 --> 01:12.240 Hey, what's going on, Angel? Take the other phone, George. 01:12.240 --> 01:17.560 Assistant? What do you mean, his assistant? What kind of a man is Mr. Valentine? I think 01:17.560 --> 01:23.720 I got his name. Hello? Oh, thank heaven. There you are. Yeah, this is Valentine. I got your 01:23.720 --> 01:29.040 name from his pocket, you see. It was a note. I'm sure he intended to call you. He doesn't 01:29.040 --> 01:34.160 have any other friends in town, so I didn't know who to turn to. Who are you talking about 01:34.160 --> 01:37.960 and who is this? Miss Greta Jenkins, George. She's the housekeeper at the Abelmerton house. 01:37.960 --> 01:44.240 Oh, okay, Miss Jenkins. And you're talking about Mr. Abelmerton? No, no, you don't understand. 01:44.240 --> 01:49.400 It's his nephew, young Larry. Oh, what's wrong with this Larry? What happened to him? I can't 01:49.400 --> 01:54.240 do anything with him. He's sick. He went out and he drank, and he always used to drink 01:54.240 --> 01:57.880 and run about, you know. His uncle could never stop him. He's sick? Well, look, lady, have 01:57.880 --> 02:03.640 you called a doctor? No, he won't let me. Well, do it anyway. This isn't Alcoholics Anonymous, 02:03.640 --> 02:08.200 just because he had my name in his pocket. Mr. Valentine, if I leave him alone for one 02:08.200 --> 02:13.040 minute, I'm afraid he'll kill himself. Why? That's the trouble. I think that's what he 02:13.040 --> 02:19.360 tried to do tonight, take his own life. So please, please, won't you? For sure, sure, 02:19.360 --> 02:23.520 Miss Jenkins. We'll be right out. I've got the address, George. Only where's this uncle, 02:23.520 --> 02:31.240 Abelmerton? You'd better... Oh, no, Mr. Valentine, I'm all alone. Mr. Merton's gone. Gone? He 02:31.240 --> 02:51.280 killed himself yesterday. I'm all right. I'm all right. Leave me alone, will you? Here's 02:51.280 --> 02:56.520 another cup of coffee, George. Oh, cut it out. You want to keep me awake for three years? 02:56.520 --> 03:00.120 It's better than putting yourself to sleep, like me. I didn't try to do that. She's crazy. 03:00.120 --> 03:04.360 I am not. You kept saying you didn't care whether you lived or not. You kept saying... 03:04.360 --> 03:09.440 Turn it off, will you? Mr. Valentine, he would have killed himself, just like his uncle did. 03:09.440 --> 03:12.880 And when I found your name, I thought you knowing him and all... 03:12.880 --> 03:16.120 Miss Jenkins, get it straight, will you? We've never met in our lives. 03:16.120 --> 03:19.360 What? That's right, worry ward. Valentine's a detective. 03:19.360 --> 03:21.960 Detective? Sure, you don't think I ever set out to make 03:21.960 --> 03:25.400 friends with one, do you? Bad penny, that's me, Valentine. 03:25.400 --> 03:29.240 Well, why did you want him then? What was his name doing in your... 03:29.240 --> 03:31.320 Miss Jenkins? Would you leave us alone with him for a few minutes? 03:31.320 --> 03:34.560 No, I won't. He's my responsibility now, and he's Uncle Gawd. 03:34.560 --> 03:38.840 I'm sorry, lady. Whether you like detectives or not, you asked for it. You've got one now, 03:38.840 --> 03:44.040 so thanks. She worries all the time. I used to live here, 03:44.040 --> 03:50.000 you know, until five or six years ago. Did I give her a bad time? 03:50.000 --> 03:55.000 Just what was my name doing in your pocket, kid? Thought of hiring you this afternoon, 03:55.000 --> 03:59.560 I saw. You see, my uncle and me, we're each other's 03:59.560 --> 04:05.880 only relative. He's a widower, no kids, practically raised me. 04:05.880 --> 04:11.600 We were... I'm a larky. Now go on, Larry. That's your Uncle Abel, Abel 04:11.600 --> 04:15.320 Merton, and he committed suicide yesterday, is that right? 04:15.320 --> 04:21.320 He was murdered. That's all? Who murdered him? 04:21.320 --> 04:26.000 Well, I did, naturally. I'm no good, you know. He booted me out of his house five years ago, 04:26.000 --> 04:28.640 and I've always wanted to get my hands on his money. 04:28.640 --> 04:34.440 The Merton Styles Company's a pretty rich outfit, you know. Sure, me. 04:34.440 --> 04:43.440 Okay, you're under arrest. Happy? Mr. Valentine, I'm all mixed up, sure. 04:43.440 --> 04:48.760 I just got back to town a few days ago. I've changed a little in those five years 04:48.760 --> 04:56.320 I've been away. I... Well, I used to make him so unhappy, but now it was going to be different. 04:56.320 --> 04:59.720 He was such a wonderful guy. Larry, did you act the way you did tonight 04:59.720 --> 05:05.000 because you couldn't face the idea that you're his only family, and you made him unhappy, 05:05.000 --> 05:08.400 and you might have been the cause? Oh, no, things were different, I told you. 05:08.400 --> 05:12.000 We were going to get along swell. But I mean, why would he kill himself right 05:12.000 --> 05:15.120 then? I can't believe he did. Okay, I understand. 05:15.120 --> 05:18.320 Maybe I just wanted to wake people up. I tell you, some people in the world are so 05:18.320 --> 05:22.000 stupid that... What people? And who says Merton's death was 05:22.000 --> 05:26.800 a suicide instead of murder? What happened? Mr. Valentine, I've never been so frustrated 05:26.800 --> 05:30.720 and mad in my life. You want to know what made me go out and drink 05:30.720 --> 05:36.280 again, call you, blow my top and cry on my beer? Well, I'll tell you, in two stupid words, 05:36.280 --> 05:49.000 have you ever met a cop by the name of Lieutenant Johnson? 05:49.000 --> 05:59.720 All right, all right, sure me, dumb old cop me. Well, listen to me, will you? There hasn't 05:59.720 --> 06:03.200 even been a coroner's inquest yet. But then, Lieutenant Johnson, what makes 06:03.200 --> 06:06.600 the boy think that... Somebody talked who shouldn't have, I don't 06:06.600 --> 06:10.120 know, that Larry found out what the police recommendation is going to be that's only 06:10.120 --> 06:13.640 blew his top. But the police believe suicide, you'll admit 06:13.640 --> 06:17.000 that? So don't beat around the bush, Johnson. You told the crew... 06:17.000 --> 06:21.560 Look, great heart, I feel sorry for him too. But don't bark at me like I didn't know what 06:21.560 --> 06:22.560 I was doing. Lieutenant... 06:22.560 --> 06:28.960 Because I don't. Ha! Said it before you could. You want to hear the facts or don't you? 06:28.960 --> 06:33.840 I was only going to say that from what we could find out about Abel Merton, well, he 06:33.840 --> 06:39.240 was such a straight-laced and stern sort of man, he just doesn't seem like the kind who 06:39.240 --> 06:44.200 would have killed himself. Mm, plurimorality, I know. I suppose that's 06:44.200 --> 06:49.040 the way the boy saw him, because it was so different himself. They had a reunion, so 06:49.040 --> 06:54.680 Larry thinks that was the most important thing to the old man. But maybe that's why Merton 06:54.680 --> 06:56.920 did it. Oh, clear it up, will you? Let's have those 06:56.920 --> 07:00.080 facts. Abel Merton always yelled at the kid to straighten 07:00.080 --> 07:05.560 himself out, and he finally did. What I meant just now was, well, maybe seeing the boy different 07:05.560 --> 07:09.680 made Merton look at himself a little closer. To see what? 07:09.680 --> 07:14.540 Merton was alone in the house night before last, nephew and housekeeper both out. She 07:14.540 --> 07:19.400 testifies he'd been worried, upset for several weeks. Then, that night, he said he had a 07:19.400 --> 07:22.600 headache, wanted to be alone, practically snapped her head off. 07:22.600 --> 07:28.440 Grooting, unhappy, sick-looking. No, well, we didn't talk to her much. 07:28.440 --> 07:33.320 Of course you didn't. Facts, death, about ten o'clock in his own study with his own 07:33.320 --> 07:34.320 gun. Merton had a- 07:34.320 --> 07:39.360 Yes, the revolver he took from his own desk. Fingerprints, powder burns, the works, all 07:39.360 --> 07:43.880 checked. Ah, well, a typical suicide so far, but- 07:43.880 --> 07:47.600 As he put it, you can only mess up your life so much. 07:47.600 --> 07:52.080 Hmm? In the note he left. Think we go off half cocked 07:52.080 --> 07:57.680 like you do? Here. As farewell to Larry, look. 07:57.680 --> 08:04.440 Let's see. When a man messes up his life, there comes a point when it is impossible to 08:04.440 --> 08:10.800 salvage it. I know you'll understand what I mean, Larry. I'm doing what I have to do. 08:10.800 --> 08:14.920 This must be the end. Goodbye and good luck, Abel Merton. 08:14.920 --> 08:17.560 Mm-hmm. The signature looks a little- 08:17.560 --> 08:22.560 No, that's the way he always signed it. Want to say he didn't really write the suicide 08:22.560 --> 08:28.560 note himself? Well, don't embarrass yourself. For once, the experts all agree. 08:28.560 --> 08:30.680 But mess up his life, how could a man like that- 08:30.680 --> 08:35.840 Oh, and don't argue until you've heard all the facts. Come on, come on, I got a man still 08:35.840 --> 08:38.200 working over in his office. His office? 08:38.200 --> 08:45.200 Not the type to kill himself. I'll show you how wrong you can be. 08:45.200 --> 08:52.200 How do you do, Miss Brooks? Hello, Mr. Stiles. 08:52.200 --> 09:08.040 Stiles, huh? You're the other half of this company. 09:08.040 --> 09:11.680 Yes. Abel ran it, though. Sharpest investment man in the business. 09:11.680 --> 09:15.920 Yeah, through here, Valentine. Merton kept his own private office. I mean completely 09:15.920 --> 09:20.800 private. The sanctum sanctorum wouldn't even give dictation in here. 09:20.800 --> 09:26.600 I told you before, Lieutenant. Abel couldn't think clearly unless he could get away someplace, 09:26.600 --> 09:31.600 lock himself up. That doesn't mean that all his life he kept secrets. 09:31.600 --> 09:35.600 Says you, says he. Didn't even let you in, did he? 09:35.600 --> 09:39.560 Now, all right, all right. You're getting your facts. What more do you want? I thought 09:39.560 --> 09:43.320 you were all through messing. Oh, now, now, now, take it easy, friend. 09:43.320 --> 09:48.560 Just want to check my man here. I'm sorry, no sleep. We've been up all night. 09:48.560 --> 09:53.400 How's it coming, Joe? Hello, Lieutenant. Sixty-three, one, seven, 09:53.400 --> 09:56.800 five so far. So far, so far. There's nothing beyond the 09:56.800 --> 09:59.960 past month, I'm sure of it. I've checked myself. 09:59.960 --> 10:04.280 You want to bet it goes back for years? It does not. We've had certified audits. 10:04.280 --> 10:08.840 What are you trying to do, wreck the name of the company completely? We've got stockholders, 10:08.840 --> 10:11.640 you know. This isn't just— I think he's right, Lieutenant. There 10:11.640 --> 10:16.440 isn't anything earlier or to have shown up on the books outside. But in Merton's private 10:16.440 --> 10:18.760 books— Hold it, hold it, all of you. What a— 10:18.760 --> 10:23.720 Sure, Joe, we've got to explain all this to Mr. Valentine or he'll be very unhappy. 10:23.720 --> 10:27.320 Oh, well, you see, there's sixty-three thousand dollars. 10:27.320 --> 10:33.440 Sure, embezzlement. Tell everybody. Merton had no reason to kill himself, eh, 10:33.440 --> 10:36.400 Valentine? This morning, this is the first thing we look 10:36.400 --> 10:43.360 at, I pretend to. How would you go about salvaging your life if you'd embezzled sixty-three thousand 10:43.360 --> 10:55.720 dollars? Hold it, will you? I've got Larry Merton on 10:55.720 --> 11:03.080 the phone. All right, Larry. Well, take it easy, will you? So maybe it doesn't make sense. 11:03.080 --> 11:08.320 I'm just telling you the facts. Yeah, yeah, maybe he wasn't that kind of a guy. 11:08.320 --> 11:09.800 Now, wait a minute. Hold it, Larry. 11:09.800 --> 11:12.360 Match cover. Here, look. It was under the edge of the rug. 11:12.360 --> 11:14.600 Let's see. Well, it was behind his desk. It must be 11:14.600 --> 11:17.080 Mr. Merton's. You said nobody else ever came in here. 11:17.080 --> 11:19.080 Yes, that's right. What's that stuff written on it? 11:19.080 --> 11:22.560 That's what I mean, scribbled in pictures. Yeah, it doesn't look like his handwriting, 11:22.560 --> 11:25.960 though. Lieutenant, I thought you went over this place 11:25.960 --> 11:30.600 inch by inch. Listen, flycatcher, M-E-J, which is dream? 11:30.600 --> 11:33.160 What? Sounds like pig-glassing. 11:33.160 --> 11:36.080 Oh, for the love of my lieutenant, I'm worn out. Can't we just- 11:36.080 --> 11:38.840 If a man embezzles, he has to have a reason for it, doesn't he? 11:38.840 --> 11:42.240 Will you be quiet a second, all of you? Hello, Larry. 11:42.240 --> 11:47.200 Listen, did your uncle ever bet on the horses? That's what they are, of course, flycatcher, 11:47.200 --> 11:49.080 M-E-J. All right, all right, all right. 11:49.080 --> 11:53.240 What's the matter with him? He says no. What does he think? 11:53.240 --> 11:57.720 He also says if I can't prove it was murder, he'll hire somebody who can. 11:57.720 --> 12:02.840 A real upset boy, that. Mr. Stiles. Mr. Stiles. 12:02.840 --> 12:09.840 Larry. He's all right. Just fainted, that's all. 12:09.840 --> 12:16.840 We'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment. 12:29.680 --> 12:33.240 Listen to the difference. Yes, now you can actually hear authentic scientific 12:33.240 --> 12:38.080 proof of the difference between URPM motor oil and premium type motor oils, as designated 12:38.080 --> 12:42.080 by the American Petroleum Institute. 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Well, perhaps you realize that you're not going to explain, 14:23.400 --> 14:29.800 and so instead you question why Merton's partner, Mr. Stiles, should happen to faint. 14:29.800 --> 14:34.280 Because I'm worn out, that's why, up all night trying to figure those books out for 14:34.280 --> 14:37.160 the police here. Didn't Merton always keep a private set of 14:37.160 --> 14:39.400 books? Of course he did, yes, yes, yes. 14:39.400 --> 14:43.640 We've been through all that, Valentine. Look, Johnson, I just want to understand this 14:43.640 --> 14:47.040 case. I fainted, yes. I'm surprised I didn't do 14:47.040 --> 14:51.800 it sooner. You know what it's like to be waked up at midnight to be told your partner killed 14:51.800 --> 14:57.120 himself? To get rousted down here the next morning with a police accountant to pry into 14:57.120 --> 14:59.960 something you know is silly until you find it's not. 14:59.960 --> 15:05.600 To find your partner of 20 years has suddenly switched in the last month into a man who 15:05.600 --> 15:11.000 dipped into $63,000. Okay, Mr. Stiles, okay, never mind, thank 15:11.000 --> 15:15.040 you. Come on, Brooks. Hey, wait a minute, where are you going? 15:15.040 --> 15:20.040 The Sportsman's Cafe, distinguished cuisine, no television, no more, you can be reality, 15:20.040 --> 15:22.200 drinks cheap, booze for lady. George. 15:22.200 --> 15:25.720 The match cover, Angel, one with the names of ponies scribbled on it. 15:25.720 --> 15:30.560 Abel didn't bet on horses. At least I don't think he did. 15:30.560 --> 15:34.320 I don't know anything anymore. Somebody at this place he seemed to visit might 15:34.320 --> 15:37.280 know. Not Merton's handwriting, not Stiles' handwriting, 15:37.280 --> 15:40.360 not Larry's. So somebody else must have dropped it while 15:40.360 --> 15:44.400 in the scene, Merton, here, that's all. Come here, Johnson. 15:44.400 --> 15:52.040 Look, you really want me to quit? Valentine, just do me one favor, will you? 15:52.040 --> 15:54.600 Sure. Just don't find anything more to make me 15:54.600 --> 15:59.440 right about the things I know are wrong. You think I believe in this case? 15:59.440 --> 16:17.720 Okay, friend, it's a long shot, but maybe this time I'll prove it's murder. 16:17.720 --> 16:23.400 Help you? How can I help you, Mr. Valentine? By being honest, Miss Jenkins, no matter whose 16:23.400 --> 16:27.200 reputation you'd like to protect. Mr. Merton was no embezzler. 16:27.200 --> 16:30.560 I don't care what anybody says or what evidence they dig. 16:30.560 --> 16:33.000 All right, all right, Miss Jenkins, just take it easy. 16:33.000 --> 16:36.280 Oh, was Mr. Merton in the habit of visiting cocktail bars? 16:36.280 --> 16:42.320 No, indeed. He left that to his nephew. Well, tell me, did Mr. Merton bet on horses? 16:42.320 --> 16:48.040 Young man, I'm not going to listen to any more libel of one of the finest men I've known. 16:48.040 --> 16:52.000 If you'll begin to talk some sense, I'll be more than willing to cooperate. 16:52.000 --> 16:55.040 But not? Where are you going, Mr. Valentine? 16:55.040 --> 17:00.040 Uh-uh, no, no. This is going to be my little secret. Come on, Brooksie. 17:00.040 --> 17:17.040 Oh, believe me, I wish I could be of more assistance, Mr. Valentine. 17:17.040 --> 17:20.760 You're the type I'd like to help. I can imagine. 17:20.760 --> 17:24.760 I can imagine you imagining, dearie, but I ain't got that class of mind. 17:24.760 --> 17:28.760 Oh, heaven, that is. Okay, lady, but the manager says you were 17:28.760 --> 17:32.080 around here five nights ago. The name is Lucy. 17:32.080 --> 17:36.280 It's always been my understanding the word lady is reserved for the ones that aren't, 17:36.280 --> 17:39.320 if you follow me. Hey, would you get that chip off your shoulder? 17:39.320 --> 17:41.240 We only want to find out. Besides, how'd you know this gentleman was here 17:41.240 --> 17:44.400 five nights ago? Because I just checked the newspaper to find 17:44.400 --> 17:49.080 out when certain horses were running. It seems it was four days ago, so I assume the 17:49.080 --> 17:52.200 guy who was thinking of betting on them was in here the night before. 17:52.200 --> 17:55.760 And I'm the kind of girl who'd know every man who comes in the place. 17:55.760 --> 17:59.080 Well, yes. Go on, hit me. 17:59.080 --> 18:03.440 What are you asking all these questions for? Oh, now, look, Lucy, we... 18:03.440 --> 18:05.440 Let me see that thing, will you? Come on, come on. 18:05.440 --> 18:06.440 A match cover? Yeah. 18:06.440 --> 18:07.440 Sure. There you are, see? 18:07.440 --> 18:14.440 Hmm. You know, people should use lighter. Look, Mr. The Boss is waving at me. Couldn't 18:14.440 --> 18:17.440 you come back some other... The names of the horses are written in brown 18:17.440 --> 18:22.520 pencil. And you made the clever observation nobody 18:22.520 --> 18:26.560 uses brown pencil. Your boss made it for us. 18:26.560 --> 18:30.840 Oh. Well, not one of them horses won. Did you know that? 18:30.840 --> 18:31.840 No. Eyebrow pencil. 18:31.840 --> 18:37.720 Well, why do you beat around the bush with me? Of course I wrote it. Sure. Sure, a blonde 18:37.720 --> 18:42.440 with an eyebrow pencil. So the boss told you already. So you're real deductive. 18:42.440 --> 18:46.160 Uh-huh. You wrote this yourself. So now will you sit down and have a drink with us? 18:46.160 --> 18:52.400 Oh, look, Mr. Valentine, once in a blue lifetime, like, well, maybe every three or four days, 18:52.400 --> 18:58.200 an opportunity knocks. A guy comes in, wants to be cordial. So I express my interest in 18:58.200 --> 19:03.600 horses. So I write down some choices, see? And if he's real nice, he puts up the bets 19:03.600 --> 19:09.160 for me. Five bucks on the nose, maybe, or... Well, what's the matter? So I don't remember 19:09.160 --> 19:11.440 who it was. Oh, yes, you do, sister. Come on, cut the 19:11.440 --> 19:14.080 stalling. Let go of me. I don't. 19:14.080 --> 19:17.640 Maybe you'll maybe later want to visit a stuff shirt named Merton, as you say. 19:17.640 --> 19:21.920 George, I want to come. Why should I remember? Why should I get mixed up in all this? 19:21.920 --> 19:23.400 Hey, hey there. You stay out of it, friend. 19:23.400 --> 19:25.080 Give him a piece of your mind. This guy's crazy. 19:25.080 --> 19:30.800 Relax, will you? I've been waving at you. You're blind or something, Lucy. You left your 19:30.800 --> 19:34.800 coat across the room. Coat? This coat? 19:34.800 --> 19:38.040 Sure. Just brought it over so it wouldn't be stole, that's all. 19:38.040 --> 19:40.280 Coat? I told you all I know. And I'm getting out of here. 19:40.280 --> 19:44.840 No, you don't. And this is the last time I'm going to... Hey, easy. 19:44.840 --> 19:50.280 Lucy, look. All you want to know is... I don't want to get mixed up in things. 19:50.280 --> 19:54.680 A mink coat. And you didn't want us to see it. Why? 19:54.680 --> 20:01.440 Yes. He gave it to me just the other day, but I didn't know where he got the money, honest. 20:01.440 --> 20:03.840 I didn't. Who are you talking about? Who got what money? 20:03.840 --> 20:11.960 Oh, you. Who do you think? How is... I don't know. You've got to kill him. 20:11.960 --> 20:19.120 You mean Mr... Yeah, yeah, Abel Merton. Well, what's the matter with you? Don't you 20:19.120 --> 20:23.120 believe he was the kind of a man who would have a girlfriend like me? 20:23.120 --> 20:34.400 The pillar of morality. Look, Johnson, look. So you tried to prove a man didn't have the 20:34.400 --> 20:37.960 reason for his suicide, and what do you get? More and more evidence. He embezzled. He played 20:37.960 --> 20:43.040 the horses. Now he had a date. And probably taken them for everything he had. I tell you, 20:43.040 --> 20:46.680 all you do is get it deep and run deep. And I'll still make it murder. Now for the 20:46.680 --> 20:55.200 last time, just do what I tell you. George, George, the parking man brought our 20:55.200 --> 21:04.600 car around the front, if you and Lucy... Lucy, where is she, George? George! 21:04.600 --> 21:15.080 I'm all right, Brooksie. All right. Oh, sure. Your head is still on your shoulders. 21:15.080 --> 21:17.160 But how do you know she was the one hit you, Mr. Bellister? 21:17.160 --> 21:22.200 I told you her boss practically saw it. Here we are. That's the place where he... 21:22.200 --> 21:26.000 Yeah, it drives her on the other side. Pretty lush apartment, huh? 21:26.000 --> 21:29.720 I started talking murder to Johnson. I guess that's what did it. She took a swing with 21:29.720 --> 21:32.640 a shoe and ran. He got a general alarm out, he said. I mean, 21:32.640 --> 21:36.640 Lieutenant Johnson. He thinks... Sure, sure, Angel. I used to think too. Say, 21:36.640 --> 21:40.520 look, run in and ask at the desk, will you? All right, George. Just see if Mr. Stiles 21:40.520 --> 21:42.120 left any message. Check. Right. 21:42.120 --> 21:45.440 Not at the office. He didn't answer his phone here. He must have... 21:45.440 --> 21:48.880 Step on it, will you? I don't understand why that girl Lucy would 21:48.880 --> 21:52.600 have told you that story of hers. I mean, almost willingly. And then suddenly she takes 21:52.600 --> 21:55.120 a shoe and... Look, kid, look. A lot of things didn't make 21:55.120 --> 21:58.960 sense. Neither did you at first. I didn't believe you. 21:58.960 --> 22:01.760 What? Well, I mean, I didn't believe my uncle was 22:01.760 --> 22:05.360 a pillar of morality, you know. Too much evidence the other way? 22:05.360 --> 22:10.240 But I believe everything now. Yeah, sometimes I wise up and start believing 22:10.240 --> 22:13.800 the obvious. And then I realize how simple a crime can be. 22:13.800 --> 22:15.800 George! Outside! General Miffle! 22:15.800 --> 22:19.800 Hey, that's his car right there. Stiles. Hey, Stiles, wait! 22:19.800 --> 22:21.800 Look out, Valentine! Crazy! 22:21.800 --> 22:25.320 Hey, slide over, kid. What about Miss Brooks? She's back there. 22:25.320 --> 22:29.000 Just hang on to your hat. See anybody with him? See the girl? 22:29.000 --> 22:31.840 I don't know. She went by so fast. I thought she was going to hit you. 22:31.840 --> 22:35.320 Meeting her someplace, maybe. Ditching her someplace, maybe. Let her run for herself. 22:35.320 --> 22:37.560 Who knows? He's heading up the back street. You can 22:37.560 --> 22:39.920 turn here... I know a better way. Cut him off. That's what 22:39.920 --> 22:41.200 you mean, isn't it? Yeah. 22:41.200 --> 22:44.200 He's the only guy who could have done the embezzling, isn't he? 22:44.200 --> 22:47.560 Get at those books to fix him up? I mean, besides your uncle. 22:47.560 --> 22:50.400 I guess so, but I don't understand about the girl. 22:50.400 --> 22:55.520 Able Merton was a nice guy. You told me so. He wouldn't get mixed up with a little opportunist 22:55.520 --> 23:00.080 like that. But she knew my name. Now how? Unless somebody 23:00.080 --> 23:03.720 had given her a fast call. And who knew I was heading in her direction 23:03.720 --> 23:07.840 except Stiles? I mean, she's really his... his... 23:07.840 --> 23:13.400 Sure. Stiles paid for the mink. That's why he took that money, I suppose. 23:13.400 --> 23:17.120 She was just putting on an act for me, what he told her to say. 23:17.120 --> 23:19.520 And it might have stuck if they hadn't got cold feet. 23:19.520 --> 23:23.880 But now, running away is a pretty good confession of murder. 23:23.880 --> 23:28.880 Yeah. It sure is. I told you that a long time ago, too. 23:28.880 --> 23:31.640 Hey, wasn't it? Take it easy. 23:31.640 --> 23:38.320 We'll wait for them here, if they cut back to the highway. 23:38.320 --> 23:42.240 Only, I wonder what made them run. Huh? 23:42.240 --> 23:47.400 Well, suppose Stiles is an opportunist, too. Suppose he saw the perfect chance to steal 23:47.400 --> 23:51.160 some money and get away with it. All he had to do was fix a few books in a 23:51.160 --> 23:56.600 hurry, tell his grasping girlfriend to play along with a gag about being a friend of Merton's. 23:56.600 --> 24:00.800 But then tonight, everything backfired. I'm sorry. I don't get you. 24:00.800 --> 24:04.640 I repeat. What made them run? 24:04.640 --> 24:08.160 What? The word murder, wasn't it? 24:08.160 --> 24:13.160 A word they never expected to hear. That scared the daylights out of both of them. 24:13.160 --> 24:17.960 Yeah. You know, they ought to be coming along any second. 24:17.960 --> 24:22.080 Oh, yeah. Sure, sure. Unless they're on the road to Mexico by now, but who cares? 24:22.080 --> 24:27.800 Because you're the biggest fool of all. You tried to make opportunity, not twice. 24:27.800 --> 24:31.880 Not twice? Well, a bad penny, that's what you said you 24:31.880 --> 24:35.800 were. But it takes a lead slug to press your luck as much as you have. 24:35.800 --> 24:41.920 You're crazy. That guy in that car, he ran. Sure he did. He stole the money. Perfect opportunity 24:41.920 --> 24:45.760 when he was phoned up at midnight and told his partner committed suicide, wasn't it? 24:45.760 --> 24:48.600 That's what the girl thought, too. Everybody thought so. 24:48.600 --> 24:53.840 Except me. And me. For a while, that suicide note bothered 24:53.840 --> 25:00.920 me. I didn't see how anybody could have framed that until I realized that nobody could have. 25:00.920 --> 25:06.560 Except you. Very smart. I hired the right man, didn't I? 25:06.560 --> 25:12.340 You want to hear the rest of my report? Suppose the sour apple nephew, that's you, came back 25:12.340 --> 25:16.680 to his uncle after five years. Only instead of open arms, he got the booty 25:16.680 --> 25:22.160 deserved from an uncle who was all upset over having to tell him to get out. 25:22.160 --> 25:27.600 So your uncle wrote you. When a man messes up his life, there comes a point when it's 25:27.600 --> 25:32.800 impossible to salvage it. I know you understand what I mean, Larry. I'm doing what I have 25:32.800 --> 25:37.000 to do. This must be the end. Goodbye, signed Abel Merton. 25:37.000 --> 25:43.240 Sure, very funny, isn't it? Made a perfect suicide note. 25:43.240 --> 25:47.680 So you killed him and framed the rest of his death and used the note for just that. 25:47.680 --> 25:53.040 But I guess you knew it wouldn't stick, not forever. So when sucker Stiles capitalized 25:53.040 --> 25:55.200 on the death, you started pointing and yelling at him. 25:55.200 --> 25:59.320 He would have stuck if you'd believed it. They're running, they might get away. Don't 25:59.320 --> 26:03.120 you understand yet? You were a test case. Sure, the police think Stiles and Lucy did 26:03.120 --> 26:05.000 it now. I wanted a detective near me. They didn't 26:05.000 --> 26:08.760 know what was going on. So all that's left now is to kill me. Get 26:08.760 --> 26:12.040 rid of the one guy who figured it. Yeah. 26:12.040 --> 26:16.480 Okay, do it. I will. Start the motor again. 26:16.480 --> 26:18.320 I can't. The key's bent. 26:18.320 --> 26:21.960 Give me that. Take it easy with that gun. You can probably 26:21.960 --> 26:24.240 straighten the key in 10 to 15 minutes. Shut up. 26:24.240 --> 26:30.360 I'm going to kill you anyway. Okay. Only before you pull that trigger, think 26:30.360 --> 26:32.800 of the noise and look where you are. Huh? 26:32.800 --> 26:37.600 Yeah. Precinct 37, I think it says. Maybe it's 39. I'm not sure. 26:37.600 --> 26:40.200 You might ask the cop on the curb. Police station? 26:40.200 --> 26:47.200 Sure. You want to go inside? There's a lot of opportunity there for a young man. 26:58.920 --> 27:01.640 He was crazy. Why? Why? Why? 27:01.640 --> 27:06.000 You just said it. He was a little crazy. But if he'd left well enough alone after 27:06.000 --> 27:10.160 Lieutenant Johnson said it was suicide. Well, he couldn't resist the second opportunity. 27:10.160 --> 27:14.880 So he told us he wanted to get his hands in the whole Merton Styles company. 27:14.880 --> 27:17.440 With Styles on the run, he would have moved right in. 27:17.440 --> 27:21.520 Oh, but George. I know. I know. Crazy. That's what murder always 27:21.520 --> 27:27.160 is. He gambled on double or nothing. They always gamble, even though there's no chance 27:27.160 --> 27:31.200 of winning. Far cry from you, isn't it? 27:31.200 --> 27:36.840 I was just thinking. You could never be a murderer then, I guess. 27:36.840 --> 27:43.320 Thanks for the compliment. That's all right. What I meant was, well, knowing 27:43.320 --> 27:50.320 you, darling, I guess there's no opportunity that you couldn't resist. 27:50.320 --> 27:57.320 Listen to the difference. In a few seconds you will hear Geiger counters measuring automobile 28:09.600 --> 28:12.360 engine wear. The engines are equipped with irradiated piston 28:12.360 --> 28:16.720 rings which make it possible for the Geiger counters to detect wear as it occurs. 28:16.720 --> 28:21.340 You will hear authentic scientific proof that new RPM motor oil cuts in half the wear rate 28:21.340 --> 28:24.900 of critical engine parts. Doubles the life of the average auto engine 28:24.900 --> 28:29.000 between major overhauls due to lubrication. First, let's listen to the Geiger counters 28:29.000 --> 28:35.840 slowly click off the low wear rate of new RPM. Now the much faster wear rate of a premium 28:35.840 --> 28:40.200 type oil is designated by the American Petroleum Institute. 28:40.200 --> 28:47.200 Now new RPM again. You have just heard Geiger counters clicking 28:47.200 --> 28:51.440 off the scientific proof that new RPM motor oil is years ahead. 28:51.440 --> 28:58.120 Yes, years ahead. New RPM doubles engine life between major overhauls due to lubrication. 28:58.120 --> 29:04.200 Try it. Sold with a money back guarantee of satisfaction at independent Chevron gas stations 29:04.200 --> 29:11.200 and standard stations where they say and mean we take better care of your car. 29:11.200 --> 29:18.200 Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard Oil Company 29:35.480 --> 29:40.960 of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout 29:40.960 --> 29:44.560 the West. Robert Bailey is starred as George with Virginia 29:44.560 --> 29:48.120 Gregg as Brooksy. Let George Do It is written by David Victor 29:48.120 --> 29:54.200 and Jackson Gillis and directed by Don Clark. Ken Christie is Lieutenant Johnson. 29:54.200 --> 29:58.400 Francis X Bushman was heard as Stiles. Harry Bartel is Larry. 29:58.400 --> 30:02.040 Noreen DeMille is Greta. And Gigi Pearson is Lucy. 30:02.040 --> 30:07.160 The music is composed and presented by Eddie Dunstetter, your announcer, John Heaston. 30:07.160 --> 30:14.160 And again next week, same time, same station to Let George Do It. 30:14.160 --> 30:37.160 This is the Mutual Don Lee Broadcasting System.